Oklahoma State's Le'Bryan Nash (2) pulls in a rebound in front of the Arkansas-Pine Bluff defense at the college basketball game between the Oklahoma State University Cowboys (OSU) and the University of Arkansas Pine Bluff Golden Lions at Gallagher Iba Arena in Stillwater, Okla. on Friday, Nov. 15, 2013. Photo by Chris Landsberger, The Oklahoman

Already this college basketball season, we've seen Duke vs. Kansas and Michigan State vs. Kentucky, stoking us with early premium matchups involving next-level talent pumping March-like life into the sport.

And those are just two clashes among a growing list.

Now for No. 8 Oklahoma State vs. No. 13 Memphis.

Tip time 7 p.m. Tuesday at Gallagher-Iba Arena.

“I think you can add this one to the list,” said Cowboys coach Travis Ford.

Add it, indeed.

And cherish it, because Cowboys-Tigers will rank among the best non-conference games to ever tip inside any version of Gallagher-Iba Arena — the best in nearly 60 years.

Only seven times previously has OSU been involved in a nonconference home game involving two ranked teams. This one's the first featuring two top-15 teams since 1957-58, when No. 11 Bradley visited Gallagher Hall to face Henry Iba's No. 6-ranked squad.

That '57-58 season was as good as it gets in OSU's nonconference history, with three matchups of ranked teams at Gallagher Hall.

Since then, there's been only one: last season, when No. 10 Gonzaga came to GIA for a New Year's Eve date with the No. 22 Cowboys.

OSU was still a team on the climb when it met the Zags a year ago, yet the two squads combined for a dramatic game Gonzaga eventually claimed 69-68.

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